To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

INTERACTIVE QUERYING OF TEMPORAL DATA
USING A COMIC STRIP METAPHOR
by
Jing Jin
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Ful llment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(COMPUTER SCIENCE)
December 2009
Copyright 2009 Jing Jin

In many domains, visualizations help users identify patterns in temporal data. However, being able to see patterns is not enough. For example, after spotting an example of a particular pattern, users often want to see all the instances of the pattern and its variations. However, the simple browsing techniques such as filtering and zooming found in most existing visualization systems cannot support these kind of analysis tasks well.; We present VizPattern, an interactive visual query environment that can incorporate existing visualization systems, and enhance them by providing powerful temporal pattern analysis capabilities. Using programming by example, VizPattern allows users to easily construct patterns across different data types by dragging snippets of existing visualizations as pattern elements, and assemble them intuitively using an innovative visual temporal pattern language QueryMarvel. It uses and extends the semantic elements and rules of comic strips with the goal of making specifying and interpreting temporal patterns as easy as reading and writing a comic story. An output visualization shows all matches. Its navigation and statistical analysis tools help users navigate and analyze results in the context of the original visualizations, and provide convenient ways to refine patterns directly from results.; User tests show that using QueryMarvel, users can understand and create temporal patterns faster and with fewer errors than using a form-based interface. The tests also show that VizPattern enables users to answer questions about data faster and with fewer errors than an existing state-of-the-art visual analysis system.

INTERACTIVE QUERYING OF TEMPORAL DATA
USING A COMIC STRIP METAPHOR
by
Jing Jin
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Ful llment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(COMPUTER SCIENCE)
December 2009
Copyright 2009 Jing Jin